Worst county for bad roads?

Archeron

After I drove across a new pothole on the Kilcock to summerhill road causing me to bite my tongue hard enough to hurt for hours afterwards, it got me thinking on what county has the worst roads.

I'm sure there are many bad bad roads, but for general roads that are used quite a bit, where have you experienced some real dodgy ones?

I personally would vote for my home County of Meath as its home to some of the biggest pot-craters I've ever seen. The one mentioned above (just outside the hotel in Garadice) actually appeared there one day with absolutely no warning, and I'm convinced I heard somethin in my car crack. Sadly, I couldnt even avoid it as it was just around a really sharp blind corner and it was dark and raining.
The Trim-Navan road also has some sections that have made friends of mine gasp in awe at the complete lack of tar and road in some sections. In one particular part, they even have it so that if you swerve into the middle a bit to avoid the first monster, there's another, even bigger one waiting for you in the middle of the road. I find that aside from the main N and M roads in Meath, almost everywhere in the county seems to be like this. (although I do love the Summerhill to Trim road, thats the only one that rocks)

I would to get pictures of the doozies mentioned above, but they are in such dangerous places, that it would be impossible to do it safely.

So, for any potential bad road spotters out there, any particular county you'd like to mention?

peasant

I'd just like to nominate a road, the entire N59. (Sligo/Mayo/Galway)

Over its whole length it has about 20-30 miles that are worthy of a major national artery.

The rest is a narrow, twisty, bumpy, potholed, unmarked mess.

BrianD3

I'd agree about Meath. Many of the regional road in Meath are in a terrible state when it comes to potholes.

Regional roads in Kildare are not much better IME.

Best county? Wait for it.............Cavan! Seriously, the road surface on Cavan roads these days is possibly the best in the country.

JohnBoy

hard to come up with a worst cos i've not that much experience in every single county, however kerry would rank pretty bad for me.

and mayo would rank as one of the best

Carb

BrianD3 wrote:

Best county? Wait for it.............Cavan! Seriously, the road surface on Cavan roads these days is possibly the best in the country.

I thought initially you were been sarcastic, but now I suspect you were been genuine.

I recently travelled back from Cavan town via Clones and Monaghan, and yes, there was a great surface on the road. But a number of hours earlier, at half three in the morning, I had the pleasure of driving my wife to the hospital in Cavan, with contractions every four minutes (longest one hour drive of my life), via Ballybay and Cootehill. This is probably the twistiest, bumpiest f**ker of a road I've ever had to drive on. The only parts that we didn't feel the bumps were the parts that were submerged under water. Potholes are one thing, but the surface of these roads are generally appalling. Carrickamacross - Kingscourt - Navan isn't much better

In summary, I'd say Cavan roads are pretty much like Monaghan's. Main routes and some of the smaller roads have great surfaces, other heavily used R roads can be very hit and miss.

kluivert

Carb wrote:

In summary, I'd say Cavan roads are pretty much like Monaghan's. Main routes and some of the smaller roads have great surfaces, other heavily used R roads can be very hit and miss.

The road from Carrickmacross to Dundalk is very dangerous, I have seen two accidents in the exact same spot within the last two months. I will driving to Newry after work to do christmas shopping in this fog, fingers crossed for me lads.

Id the the country as a whole is a mess, bar M1 and N2.

Drove from M50 to Naas the other week and it was great. I was able to get from Dundalk to Naas (Kilashee Hotel) in 1 hour 10 minutes.

Captain Slow IRL

definitely meath or kildare - some of meaths "r" roads are scarily tight, particularly when there's an oncoming truck/bus (or micra on some parts)

mayo roads are mid-table - my town is currently under a lot of roadworks (unfinished til after christmas) so it's a pain in the hole driving around, literally

JHMEG

Clare (esp north) gets my vote. There doesn't seem to be a straight stretch of road anywhere...

bkehoe

peasant wrote:

I'd just like to nominate a road, the entire N59. (Sligo/Mayo/Galway)

Over its whole length it has about 20-30 miles that are worthy of a major national artery.

The rest is a narrow, twisty, bumpy, potholed, unmarked mess.

Another vote for this 'road'. Most of the regional roads joining it are far superior!

Dac51

Kilkenny without a doubt. The N9 section from Waterford City to Paulstown has to be seen to be believed, for a supposedly major road to Dublin.

To be honest the entire south east region suffers from bad roads due to lack of investment over the decades.:mad:

afatbollix

been doing alot of driving this year...doing the old rallys so know all the roads...coming from downings (donegal) i almost crashes 3 times,..with corners i dident see...(no signs,markings)even at one point heading down a sideroad thinking it was the main one...
i live on the n59..ya its bad but good fun to drive;)

kensutz

I'm with Dac51 on this vote. It's a disaster of a road.

patsyh

Offaly, its just bog. The roads are sinking everywhere.

mayoimafriad

Mayo nowadays has almost excellent national roads, with all of them being upgraded with the construction of the bypasses in the county e.g Charlestown bypass & Claremorris bypass.

But the secondary roads in Mayo are brutal, its like Mayo co.co dont give a **** about these roads treating them like local roads. e.g N60 Castlebar-Claremorris road...easily one of Mayo's busiest roads and it has to be one of irelands worst secondary roads! The 17 mile stretch between the two towns hasn't seen any improvement in the last 30 years no exaggeration! A section just outside Balla on the Castlebar side is so narrow and hilly two hgv's cannot pass at the same time without one having to come to a halt! pleaseeeeeeeeee mayo county council improve this busy route

bazz26

It must be zombie thread week or something. :eek:

HashSlinging

Donegal!

fricatus

Kilkenny is the worst I've seen anywhere. The N9 south of Paulstown and the N10 south of Danesfort are just unreal. There are unclassified (L) roads all over the country carrying less than a tenth of the traffic that are straighter and in better condition.

When the Tall Ships race came to Waterford, I was travelling home from Dublin, where I was living at the time. I went via Kilkenny, then Kells, Kilmaganny and Carrick-on-Suir and from there via backroads to the west side of Waterford because the only (:mad:) bridge in the city centre was closed.

I swear I've never travelled on such treacherous roads. And treacherous is the word. They're waiting to catch you out if you make the slightest mistake. Some say, the roads, walls and trees actually move, so as to frighten away the blow-ins!

04CELICA140

Roscommon!!!! These roads are lethal.....Im from Longford and as soon as you get to anywhere in Roscommon the roads just turn into pure sh1t!!

As for the Longford roads, their fine very good quality in 90% of the county id say, which surprises me.

unkel

bazz26 wrote: »

It must be zombie thread week or something. :eek:

+1

Feckin' n00bs not reading the charter :rolleyes:

_Kaiser_

IBTL

+1 for Meath. I don't know what the county council do with the money that's allocated for this, but they're certainly not spending it on roads.. they were "resurfacing" Kells this week.. couple of lads, a JCB and a mini-steamroller.. and the pot holes they just slapped a bit of tar in are already starting to reform. This has been the case for as long as I've been using the road (7/8 years now) :mad:

Eoin

Thread closed.